The Officer and the Princess: The Flames Of War

Chapter 60

Azula's body was on fire and she was in the worst pain she had ever felt in her life, what happed? The last thing she remembered was she was fighting Kowareta. She had been using every trick she had to use, calling on her years of hard training to give her the edge she thought she had needed to win. But then Kowareta had done something she hadn't expected. He had summoned lightning. Azula tried to redirect it but she hadn't been quick enough, it was her own fault really, Lightningbending was a rare skill, it took hard work and dedication to learn it but it wasn't impossible. She had underestimated her opponent and she had paid the price for it.

She had this awful ringing in her ears, her vision somewhat blurred as she looked around, she could see Sung rolling to the side as a blast of lightning hit where he had been standing moments ago. He stood up and threw fire fists at something off to her left. She turned her head and saw Kowareta form a wall of fire in front of himself to protect from the fire. Azula knew she had to help Sung, she wanted to help Sung. But when she moved even an inch her body flared up in pain again that caused her to scream.

Sung looked at her now, he was so afraid she could see it on his face as clear as day. He said something to her but that ringing in her ears made it impossible to hear. Another burst of lightning shot off now and it hit the ground in front of Sung and he to was thrown. "S-stop." Azula said weakly, reaching out to him.

Sung hit the ground and slid a few feet, but unlike her he got back up and he got up fighting, sending a long stream of red fire at Kowareta. Azula wanted to help, she wanted to do something besides just lay there, she tried to get up. But the pain just knocked her down again and again. She had an awful thought, when she had been what she used to be...at the Agni Kai all those years ago,  this must have been how Zuko felt when she had struck him with lightning and all he could do is watch as she had chased Katara around the coronation ground. Karma had a funny way of catching up.

"He'll be okay." She heard a familiar voice close by. Reluctantly she turned her head to look at the sky, shadowed by the Sun she saw a man kneeling down in front of her. It was Tadashi.

"H-help Sung." Azula said. Her only interaction with Tadashi had been in a vision but the fact that he was here, in the living world now had to mean something right? A spirit had come to save the day! "Please..."

Tadashi Sighed as he looked at the fight happening not even feet away. "I'm afraid I can't Azula...I'm not here for him, his times not up yet." He looked down at her. "I'm here for you, Amaterasu is calling you home."

His times not up yet, what did he mean by that? And what did he mean Amaterasu was calling her home, Azulas home was Sun Dao. The realization hit her like a building had fallen on her. She was dying. "I-I need...to help Sung, he needs me." Azula said pleading.

Tadashi sighed again. "If it were up to me Azula...I'd heal you in a heartbeat. But it's not up to me. He will be alright, he will live a long life after today." That at least brought her some small comfort, she had no reason to believe Tadashi was telling her the truth but...the way he looked at her now, it just told her to trust him.

She looked back to Sung now, Kowareta had shot more lighting, but this time Sung had caught it going through the movements just like Azula had taught him, finger tips, down the arm, into the stomach, strike. Now Kowareta was diving out of the way, apparently Kurn hadn't bothered to teach him lightning redirection. She was so proud of Sung, and all he had accomplished. She had many regrets in her life...but loving him had never been one of them. She knew when he found her lifeless body, he would be distraught. But somehow she knew that with time Sung would come back from this, perhaps he would love another someday...she was okay with that, all she wanted was for Sung to be happy. "I'm...ready." She said as she looked to Tadashi.